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Dusky the Retriever was among those targeted by Royal Mail |
Dear Dusky, could you please not bark at us?
Frightened postmen snap back at dogs by sending letters to homes of the most hostile pets
IN the age-old battle of dogs versus postman, the canines have traditionally proved the victors.
But posties in Hampstead have now brought the fight to their four-legged foes the only way they know how – by letter.
Scarred by a spate of letterbox attacks over the last year – including an incident in Adelaide Road in which the postman lost the tips of several fingers – managers at the Hampstead Delivery Office in Shepherds Walk issued a firm letter to the area’s would-be Gnashers and their owners last week.
It read: “We are hoping for help in our efforts to reduce dog attacks on postmen and women in the Hampstead area... The important thing is that you ensure your dog is prevented from coming into contact with your postman/woman.”
The missive was sent to about 60 addresses in NW3 flagged as “Dog Hazard” delivery points on the Royal Mail database.
Unlike Dennis the Menace’s famously anti-postman pet, however, the bark of many of the dogs targeted by Royal Mail chiefs seems to be worse than their bite.
Ceramicist Jenny Holzer received one of the letters on behalf of Dusky, her black Retriever.
She said: “Dusky is territorial – she barks – but she wouldn’t hurt anyone. The tone of the letter was a little sharp, and there was a hint that if the problem was not solved we wouldn’t get our mail delivered. These sorts of things need to be well worded and it does wonders if you’re polite.”
Tim Shearer, Royal Mail’s Area Health and Safety officer, said the letters had been sent to “ease the minds” of anxious postmen and that no dog, however sweet or small, was above reproach.
He said: “We assess every dog as potentially dangerous. If a postman has a problem with a dog – barking, or snatching letters – we mark it. We are more concerned about the dogs you can’t see.
“Attacks are uppermost in a postman’s mind. It does happen and it’s not pleasant. I got chased by an Alsatian down an unfortunately long garden path and it bit my ankle.”
Postal staff faced a number of hazards on their routes, said Mr Shearer. Dogs were at the top of the list, followed by assaults by people, slippery paths and steps, and overhanging bushes.
Mr Shearer added: “Apparently out in rural areas squirrels are the biggest threat. They jump out of trees on to the postmen and grab their heads – they’ve got very sharp claws.”
Hampstead dog owners were generally sympathetic to the postmen’s plight, suggesting owners should be more responsible for their pets and that postal staff should be trained in self-defence.
A few, who did not wish to be named, suggested they “should be used to barking dogs”.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We record about 5,000 animal attacks on our postmen and women a year, with the vast majority being dogs. In the Hampstead area, since January 2007, we have recorded several incidents of staff being threatened by dogs.
“As a caring and responsible employer, Royal Mail takes very seriously the safety of its employees – particularly our frontline postmen and women who deliver the mail.
“Unfortunately, dog attacks are a hazard faced by our employees – but our main aim is to prevent attacks.” |
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